1951 "Bread for Energy" Bread Label Store Advertising Display

As if the bread labels featuring baseball players issued in the early 1950s weren't rare enough, the rarest item relating to the "Bread for Energy" labels is actually the store advertising display. How many of these have survived can probably be counted on one hand. There probably weren't many made and distributed to stores even in 1951. This cardboard retail display sign includes what is essentially an uncut sheet of twenty (of the thirty-two different players in the set) "Bread for Energy" labels, mounted as part of the design of the cardboard sign. The headline reads "Hey Kids - Your Favorite Baseball Star on ever loaf of...NBC Bread." One colorful bread label appeared on the end of each National Baking Company bread loaf as a packaging seal. The stars appearing on this display are Red Schoendienst, Johnny Sain, Ted Kluszewski, Chico Carrasquel, Roy Sievers, Gil Hodges, Ralph Branca, Alex Kellner, Jim Konstanty, Johnny Mize, Hoot Evers, Gus Zernial, Ralph Branca, Roy Smalley, Herman Wehmeier, Larry Jansen, Cass Michaels, Gus Zernial, Cliff Chambers, and Bob Lemon. The cardboard sign (13.75 x 22 inches) is technically in overall Good to Very Good condition, with a repaired tear along the left border, light creasing, minor soiling, and a handwritten advertisement on the reverse (not baseball related; this efficient reuse is probably somehow responsible for the survival of this poster at all). However, most of the flaws are relegated to the border areas and the player images are generally clean and bright, with a few areas of scattered staining and foxing. Ideal for display, this is a tremendous advertising item relating to this rare regional bread-label set, and is also truly the equivalent of an uncut sheet of these rare bread labels. Reserve $300. Estimate $500/$1,000. SOLD FOR $4,112.50

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